August 2005

1

Saudi Arabia: King Fahd dies. Crown Prince Abdullah becomes king and names Prince Sultan, the defense minister, as crown prince. Abdullah, who was first deputy prime minister, also takes over Fahd's role as prime minister, and Sultan, who was second deputy prime minister, becomes first deputy prime minister.United States: President George W. Bush installs John Bolton as UN ambassador in a recess appointment, bypassing Senate confirmation.

2

Iemma

Australia: In New South Wales, Morris Iemma is chosen by the Labor Party parliamentary caucus to replace Bob Carr as premier. He is sworn in on August 3.Spain: Emilio Pérez Touriño is sworn in as president of the Xunta of Galicia.Thailand: In a cabinet reshuffle, Thanong Bidaya becomes finance minister and Kongsak Wantana interior minister.United States: Former Alaska governor (1974-82) Jay S. Hammond dies.

3

Indonesia: Zulkifli Nurdin is sworn in as governor of Jambi.

Ahmadinejad

Mottaki

Iran: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad takes office as president. He is sworn in on August 6. On August 14 he submits his list of cabinet nominations to the parliament, including Manouchehr Mottaki as foreign minister, Mostafa Mohammad Najjar as defense minister, Davoud Danesh-Jaafari as economy and finance minister, and Mostafa Pourmohammadi as interior minister, who receive votes of confidence on August 24.

Vall

Boubacar

Sid'Ahmed

Mauritania: A group of army officers overthrows President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya while he is out of the country. They announce the formation of a Military Council for Justice and Democracy, headed by Col. Ely Ould Mohamed Vall. Prime Minister Sghair Ould M'Bareck and his government are maintained, but they resign on August 7. Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar is named as new prime minister. On August 10 a new cabinet is announced with Ahmed Ould Sid'Ahmed as foreign minister, Mohamed Ahmed Ould Mohamed Lemine as interior minister, and Abdellahi Ould Souleymane Ould Cheikh Sidiya as finance minister.

Shantsev

Russia: President Vladimir Putin nominates Valery Shantsev as governor of Nizhny Novgorod oblast. On August 8 Shantsev is confirmed by the local legislative assembly (36-0) and takes office.Suriname: The United People's Assembly, consisting of 891 parliament members and elected local and district representatives, reelects Ronald Venetiaan as president with 560 of 879 votes; his challenger Rabin Parmessar receives 315 votes. Ram Sardjoe is elected vice president with 591 votes against 285 for Wilfried Roseval. They are sworn in on August 12.Zambia: In a cabinet reshuffle, Bates Namuyamba replaces Kalombo Mwansa as home affairs minister.

4

Canada: Michaëlle Jean is named as new governor general, to take office September 27.Ecuador: Economy and Finance Minister Rafael Correa resigns. Interior Minister Mauricio Gándara replaces him temporarily. On August 8 Magdalena Barreiro is named as new economy and finance minister.Indonesia: Agustin Teras Narang is sworn in as governor of Kalimantan Tengah.

Kiir

The Sudan: President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir appoints Salva Kiir as first vice president and as president of the Government of Southern Sudan. Kiir is sworn in on August 11.

Russia: The governor of Altay kray, Mikhail Yevdokimov, is killed in a car crash. His deputy Mikhail Kozlov takes over as acting head of the administration. On August 18, President Vladimir Putin nominates Aleksandr Karlin as new governor. On August 25 Karlin is confirmed by the local Council of People's Deputies (57-0 with 1 abstention) and takes office.

9

11

Stanishev

Kalfin

Bulgaria: The National Movement Simeon II rejects the mandate to form a government. On August 15 a grand coalition is agreed on between the Socialist Party, the National Movement Simeon II, and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, with Socialist leader Sergey Stanishev as prime minister. The proposed cabinet includes Ivailo Kalfin as foreign minister, Vesselin Bliznakov as defense minister, Rumen Petkov as interior minister, and Plamen Oresharski as finance minister. On August 16 the parliament elects Stanishev as prime minister (168-67) and approves the cabinet (169-68), which is then sworn in.

Kuczynski

Maúrtua

Peru: Fernando Olivera Vega is sworn in as foreign minister. Minutes later Prime Minister Carlos Ferrero Costa resigns. On August 13 Olivera resigns. On August 16 Economy and Finance Minister Pedro Pablo Kuczynski is named as new prime minister; Fernando Zavala takes over his portfolio, while Óscar Maúrtua de Romaña becomes foreign minister, Marciano Rengifo Ruiz defense minister, and Rómulo Pizarro interior minister. Kuczynski wins a confidence vote on August 26 (60-6 with 29 abstentions).Russia: In separatist Chechnya, President Abdul-Khalim Sadulayev dismisses his government. On August 23, he appoints a new cabinet with himself as chairman, Shamil Basayev as first deputy chairman, and Usman Ferzauli as foreign minister. Apti Sulumhajiyev remains interior minister.

12

Bandaranaike

Sri Lanka: Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar is shot by an assassin; he dies early on August 13. On August 22 President Chandrika Kumaratunga appoints her brother Anura Bandaranaike as new foreign minister.

13

Brazil: Former governor of Pernambuco (1963-64, 1987-90, 1995-99) Miguel Arraes de Alencar dies.Indonesia: Sinyo Harry Sarundayang is sworn in as governor of Sulawesi Utara.New Zealand: Former prime minister (1984-89) David Lange dies.Russia: President Vladimir Putin nominates Aleksandr Tishanin as governor of Irkutsk oblast. He is confirmed by the local legislative assembly on August 26 (42-2) and is to be sworn in on September 8.

14

Kyrgyzstan: Kurmanbek Bakiyev is sworn in as president. On August 15 he names Feliks Kulov acting prime minister.Singapore: Incumbent S.R. Nathan gets the only certificate of eligibility by the Presidential Elections Committee, which rejects three other applicants. On August 17 he is declared reelected.

15

Indonesia: Gamawan Fauzi is sworn in as governor of Sumatera Barat.

16

Russia: President Vladimir Putin nominates incumbent Nikolay Fyodorov as president of Chuvashia. Fyodorov is confirmed by the local State Council (parliament) on August 29 (66-2 with 1 abstention).

17

18

Maldives: Qasim Ibrahim is sworn in as finance minister.

19

Nkurunziza

Batumubwira

Burundi: The legislature elects Pierre Nkurunziza as president (151-9). He is sworn in on August 26. On August 29 the parliament approves Nkurunziza's choices for first and second vice president, Martin Nduwimana and Alice Nzomukunda, who are immediately sworn in. The new cabinet is announced on August 30, with Antoinette Batumubwira as foreign minister, Salvator Ntacobamaze as interior minister, Maj.Gen. Germain Niyoyankana as defense minister, and Dieudonné Ngowembona as finance minister.Ecuador: Defense Minister Solón Espinosa resigns. Oswaldo Jarrín is appointed in his place.Indonesia: Ismeth Abdullah is sworn in as governor of Kepulauan Riau.Tuvalu: Former prime minister (2001) and governor-general (2003-05) Faimalaga Luka dies.